Automatic fire extinguisher



i 29, 1935. P. I. --ROINNING i 91 AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 27, 1954 INVENH'OR Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claim.

This invention relates to fire extinguishing equipment and the primary object is to provide a novel, efficient, and practical mechanism, that is both automatically and manually actuable, and which is particularly intended and designed for extinguishing incipient fires which frequently occur in motor vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, tractors, aeroplanes, motor boats, etc., although the device may be employed to advantage in other circumstances also. More particularly the object is to provide a control unit for an extinguishing material receptacle, which recep tacle may be conveniently, located in the engine enclosing chamber, and which control unit will be rendered automatically operative to release the extinguishing material upon the occurrence of fire in such chamber or adjacent zones, or may be manually operated either electrically, as from an instrument board, or mechanically at the unit location, depending upon various circumstances presently to be set forth. Still further and more specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of the device embodying my invention, and showing the same as mounted on the receptacle for containing the extinguishing material or composition.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevation taken centrally through the control unit and receptacle.

Referring to the drawing more particularly and by reference characters, 3 designates a cylindrical receptacle having closed ends, and a head 4 under. and to which is secured as by bands 5 a container 6. These members may be of any suitable size, form, or design, and it is suiflcient to state that they are to be mounted or located in the vicinity where fire is most apt to occur. It is also to be noted that I make no claim to what type or formula of fire extinguishing substance is to be used. Various chemicals for this purpose are available and suitable. Conventional practices employ soda (sodium bi-carbonate) and acid (sulphuric), known as the soda-acid or cooling types. Others employ carbon-tetrachloride or the foam method which extinguishes the flame by smothering, as distinguished from cooling or quenching.

In any event it is necessary that a. liquid, gas, or

foam be applied to the burning area and that the composition thereof be such as to either quench the flame, or by excluding oxygen, to

smother it, to the end that damage from the flame may be minimized or entirely avoided.

In the present instance the receptacle 3 may be considered, for purpose of illustration, to

taina soda or alkaline solution 1, while the container 6 contains an acid, which upon contacting with the soda generates the gas or foam to be dis-. tributed over the burning area. 1

Rigidly mounted, as by screws 8, upon the re- 5 ceptacle head 4, is a standard 9, having a pair of 7 cylinders l0 and H in its lower end, which cylinders register with holes l2 and I3 in the head 4, but are normally separated therefrom by a fracturable or puncturable plate l4. At their upper 10 ends the cylinders l0 and H are enlarged into chambers l5 and i5, respectively, and these communicate with each other through a port 11.

A valve I8 has a nipple threaded into the standard 9 to communicate with the chamber I5, 15 and a similar valve l9 has a nipple threaded into the standard in communication with the chamber IS. The valve l8 discharges into a flexible conduit 20 which preferably terminates in a nozzle (not shown) so that with the valve open and the :0 device operating the extinguishing spray may be manually directed and controlled should the operator have occasion and freedom for so using the apparatus. Ordinarily, however, the valve 18 is kept closed as it is not to be used when the device :5

is set for automatic operation.

The valve l 9 discharges into a pipe 2|, and this pipe is designed to conduct the fire extinguishing fluid to fixed outlets or nozzles (not shown) positioned to spray the fluid over areas most apt to 10 become ignited. In the case oi. motor vehicles at least one such outlet should be arranged to spray the fore part of the motor from above, and it may also be desirable to locate one under the engine so that in case of an upset leaving 85 the car bottom up the spray will be effective to cover and extinguish the motor flame, should one occur, and before such flame could reach the body frame and occupants of the car.

Slidable in the cylinders l0 and II is a pair of pistons 22 and 23, carried on the lower ends of a pair of vertically slidable rods 24 and 25, respectively. The lower ends of the pistons 22 and 23 are provided with angular cutting edges, as shown in Fig. 2, and these edges are so formed that when 4.5 the pistons 22-43 are forced downwardly they will shear out perforations in the plate I4, to establish communication between the cylinders Iii-H and holes |2-|3, and will also cut their way downwardly through the container 6 to estab- 50 lish open communication between container 8 and receptacle 3 and thereby bring the two chemical compositions into union with each other.

As the gas, foam, or other extinguishing element is thus generated it immediately passes up 55 into the cylinder I!) or I l which has been opened and to the chambers I5 and I6 which communicate with each other through port I1. From thence the material escapes to the valve l8 or H! which is open and out through tube or pipe 2| to the discharge nozzle or nozzles.

The rod normally projects upwardly from the standard 9 as shown, and at its upper end is provided with a knob 26. To mechanically operate the device manually this knob 26 is pushed down, thus puncturing the elements l4 and 6 to.

cause the device to function. If the valve I9 is closed and the valve l8 opened, the operator may now utilize the nozzle on the tube 20 to spray the burning area and without disturbing the automatic or electric control devices.

When the apparatus is set for automatic or manual electric control the valve I8 is maintained closed and the valve l9 open. In this event the rod 24 forces. the piston 22 downwardly to'produce the desired generation and release of the extinguishing substance.

At itsv upper end the rod 24 is provided with a plunger 21 which fits in a cylindrical bore 28, and is yieldably retained in its normal inactive position by a ball 29 spring held in a groove 30 of the,

plunger. The ball and spring are preferably retained in a cage 3| which may be threaded into the standard 9. A spark plug 32 is threaded into the upper end of the bore 28, and intermediate the spark plug 32 and plunger 21 is a chamber 33 adapted to contain an explosive such as gunpowder. The spark plug has a terminal wire 34 which connects with a source of current but has a normally open control switch which should be located at some convenient location for emergency manipulation by an occupant of the vehicle, so that should the engine catch fire and it is difllcult or impossible to reach the knob 23, then by closing such switch the spark plug will be energized to set off the explosive and thus cause the extinguishing apparatus to function. To exhaust the explosive gases I provide ports 32a.

To automatically actuate the device I provide a coupler 35 in the standard, adjacent chamber 33, through which extends into the chamber a fuse 3B. This fuse is covered by an insulation tube 31 which is impervious to moisture and will also not be affected by high temperatures such as may normally occur in an engine enclosing chamber.

The tube is made of combustible material, however, so that it will readily burn through when contacting with a flame, under which circumstances the fuse will immediately carry ignition to the power charge in chamber 33. The fuse is pref- 5 erably several feet in length, whereby it may be extended about and secured in such positions where flames are most apt to develop, in case of accident, short circuiting, etc.

It will be understood that for each time the 0 apparatus is used it will be necessary to replace the acid container 6, and to refill the receptacle 3 with the soda or other solution I. It will also be necessary, except where the mechanical manual control has been used, to reset the plunger 21 15 and recharge the chamber 33; and also to replace the fuse 36, or to open the circuit to the spark plug 32, depending upon the method employed to ignite the explosive charge.

It will further be understood that suitable modi- 20 fications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and'scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, What I claim to be new and desire 25 to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A fire extinguishing apparatus comprising a receptacle having a perforate head, a standard secured upon the head and a replaceable disc between the head and standard, a container secured 30 to and under the head, a rod slidably mounted in the standard and having a cutter at one end for piercing said disc and container, said rod having sufiicient freedom for movement to permit the cutter to pass entirely through the disc and adia- 35 cent container wall and to also cut and open the opposite container wall.

2. A fire extinguishing apparatus comprising a receptacle having a perforate head, a standard secure-d upon the head and a replaceable disc be- 40 tween the head and standard, a container secured to and under the head, a rod slidably mounted in the standard and having a cutter at one end for piercing said disc and container, a head on said rod movable in a cylindrical chamber, means for yieldably holding said rod head in raised position, and explosive means in the chamber for actuating the rod, the rod head and cutter.

PETER I. RONNING. .0 

